Strange & Beautiful
by PerfectPerception
Summary: He was a noble gentleman right out of the fairy tale books and she was a thrill-seeking treasure hunter as dainty as a flower that somehow, despite their culture differences and language barrier, managed to fall in love anyway./Or fifty glimpses of Will and Lily's peculiar love story, from beginning to end. Regardless1604's rival couple challenge.
1. oo1: First Impressions

**I'm really terrible with updates and I should probably stick to one-shots but, while dabbling with ideas for my other Harvest Moon-centered ongoing stories, I managed to come across this absolutely wonderful theme/word/pairing challenge created by Regardless1604!**

**The rules are to write exactly 150 words (not including the title) per theme focusing on a rival couple in the Harvest Moon universe. I decided to choose Lily and Will due to their severely under-appreciated pairing and the fact that they're just a really lovely couple in my opinion. Also, before I forget to mention, the story's title is a song by the band Aqualung. Anyway, I'll stop rambling now and present you with the first chapter/theme!**

oo1. First Impressions

Their first meeting was not the most ideal one.

Admittedly, Will, the blond aristocrat who just moved to the islands under his parents' request, whimsically imagined meeting the exotic treasure hunter under different circumstances; a different scenario where he would leave a bewitching and lasting impression on the raven-haired maiden. Instead, their fateful encounter ended with him standing near the threshold of Carol's Inn, less-than-subtly implying the woman standing before him, Lily, was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl on the island and that he had been watching her from afar. He could feel himself babbling but he couldn't stop his mouth from moving, his knees already weak at the mere sight of the girl.

Lily didn't appear at all impressed by him or his words laced with fairy tales and fleetingly lovely things. Instead, it looked as if he frustrated her more than anything.


	2. oo2: Friendship

**Another chapter finished and updated! Hope you readers and the very few supporters of this pairing enjoy!**

oo2. Friendship

Friendship between the two polar opposites appeared to have happened upon a simple chance of fate.

After the less than elegant introduction between the two, if Will was surveying the mining grounds for his uncle Regis, he would offer to accompany Lily as she carefully poked at rocks in hopes of finding jewels and ore underneath the rubble, or if Lily ran into Will at the cafe or diner, she'd invite him to have a cup of tea with her before she retired to her room. Sometimes, it was proven quite difficult to understand each other's different cultures and dialects, but they tried nonetheless. And it was simple acts like these, simple words exchanged between the two, and the simple things they both enjoyed together that intricately wove their relationship together.

True, their friendship happened by sheer luck, but neither of them were complaining.


	3. oo3: Siblings

**I'm actually quite fond of this theme and chapter :) Hope you enjoy!  
**

oo3. Siblings

The closest thing to a brother or sister to Will was Sabrina, his younger and sweet-tempered cousin. He never liked delving deep into his family relations, but, to put it simply: His parents sat on a high pedestal of a certain hierarchy back in his homeland and once they had him, a son who could carry on the family's name, they claimed they didn't need to continue having more children when they already produced an heir.

Will didn't mind being doted on by his mother constantly, or having his father continuously teach him the mannerisms and speech of a nobleman but it was quite lonely at times. He never had a brother to run around with or a sister to protect, so when Lily told him of her numerous siblings (three sisters, four brothers) he listened tentatively, feeling less alone as he marveled at her stories.


	4. oo4: Crush

**Welp, here's the fourth installment to the series. Enjoy :)**

oo4. Crush

Pebbles scattered across the rocky terrain, rolling in every direction, as the sound of the flat end of a hammer collided into a large rock. Will shielded himself with an arm as the air collected an ashy dust and he muffled a cough with his hand.

Lily peered upward, ceasing her hammering and gently placed the tool down before brushing off the built up dirt from her red dress. "I apologize for creating such a hazardous environment for you, Will. Perhaps it'd be best if you called it a day?"

The blond shook his head politely before giving her a grin. "But who would make certain of your safe arrival back to Sprout Island?"

Lily offered him a rare smile before continuing to crush rocks with her hammer. And as Will watched, he hoped rocks where the only things the maiden crushed.

...

**I suppose this drabble has a bit different interpretation of the theme crush in the more literal sense. The ending, however, implies the more figurative take on the word. Poor Will just hopes Lily won't crush his heart like she crushes those rocks!**


	5. oo5: Mind Games

**Thanks to those who have reviewed! I really appreciate them all and I hope you enjoy reading these themes just as much as I enjoy writing them :)**

oo5. Mind Games

"It seems to me," the island's resident popstar sighed, "that Will is playing _games_ with you, Lily."

"Games?" Lily blinked. "But we do not engage ourselves in Chinese checkers or chess."

Lanna shook her head feverishly, silencing her. "No, not actual board games, but games with your heart. If Will really liked you, he wouldn't offer to teach that new girl Chelsea how to ride his horse."

"Oh hush," Natalie scoffed at the blonde, "he's just being nice. He knows Chelsea's got a pony and doesn't have a clue about riding horses. Besides," she added coyly, "if he didn't like Lily, he wouldn't risk getting that expensive white suit of his dirty to help her look for treasure. Although I'm pretty sure he already found_ his_."

The Asian girl flushed as her friends erupted in giggles.


	6. oo6: Fairy Tales

oo6. Fairy Tales

After the few weeks Lily had grown accustomed to Will's rather notably pleasant company, she noticed he was often described by their peers as a prince by his noble actions and choice of refined words when he spoke. To be quite honest, as a youth she was far too preoccupied with creating her own adventures, she had little time to dwell and linger in daydreams painted with vivid fairy tales of princes and damsels in distress and happily ever afters. She never related to Julia or Lanna with their wistful sighs and murmurs of a handsome prince whisking them off their feet and carrying them away into the sunset of their happy endings. It admittedly upset Lily the slightest as she thought of Will as a prince.

Because if Will was prince, what was she? Certainly not a fair and beautiful princess waiting to be saved.


	7. oo7: Old

**I apologize for such the long delay! College always tends to get the best of me. Anyway, here's the seventh installment of Strange & Beautiful. I hope you all enjoy!**_  
_

oo7. Old

_William Terry Louis Andrew Carrick Jonathan Dredge Hams Reading Roger Southwark Alwick Plymouth Junior Regison III,_

_Your mother has recently brought to my attention that you are indeed encroaching upon the appropriate age where gentlemen are old enough to begin, if not have already started, courting women. I spoke with your Uncle Regis earlier this month and he's informed me of the unfortunate scarce options within the islands you're currently residing upon. Despite this obvious disadvantage it is crucial that you carry on our family's name and your mother and I generously offer scouting women of our caliber for you—_

For the first time ever during his residency on the islands, Will failed to finish one of his father's many letters written to him on a weekly basis and promptly tossed the paper in his room's trash-bin before he could even finish reading it.


	8. oo8: Rival

**I appreciate the feedback and views everyone! Thank you for sticking around to read this and I hope to see more Will/Lily stories from all of you! :)**

oo8. Rival

It was a normal day, the fourteenth of Summer, and Will just finished giving Chelsea her last riding lesson. Surprisingly, the petite brunette learned quite quickly and diligently, the nobleman was almost envious of her natural ability.

Sabrina joined the two just as the session ended and offered to take Arthur back to Will's yacht while her cousin headed toward the Inn, assuming Lily was done with her treasure-hunting escapades for the day. Unfortunately, Will was the first to admit he hadn't been accompanying Lily on her journeys lately because he was so persistent on finishing Chelsea's riding lessons before the Horse Festival. He hoped to catch up with Lily, however, his plans abruptly went up in flames at the sight of another boy, Mark, smiling and laughing with Lily as the two walked toward the Inn together.

Will had coincidentally gone unnoticed by the couple.


	9. oo9: Shun

oo9. Shun

Lily watched as rough, callused fingers grazed over her dainty knuckles in an almost apology. In return, she tried to force a smile to her face but only a cracked, barely-there grin surfaced on her face.

"I apologize for concerning you with my troubles," she mumbled to her counterpart, her eyes set downcast onto the teacup resting on the table before her. "I just do not have any ounce of understanding as to why he has no words to spare to me now."

"I'm not sure either," quietly replied her companion and she raised her vision to meet sincere green eyes. "I'm sorry Will's been ignoring you lately, Lily. But I can assure you it's probably more of his own problem and fault than yours."

"Thank you, Mark," she sighed softly, trying to push the image of Will toward the back of her troubled mind.

**Okay, I couldn't help but sprinkle just a little bit of Mark/Lily in this. They're probably my OTP in the game series, but it won't make much of an appearance besides this drabble and maybe referred to lightly in others, just as Will/Chelsea might be.**


	10. o10: Fight

**A special thanks to the readers and reviewers! I'm sorry I haven't replied to any of your reviews as of yet, I've been so busy with college, work and whatnot, but I promise you your reviews haven't gone unnoticed and unappreciated! I'm really grateful for the feedback! Thank you all!**

o10. Fight

Will inhaled a deep breath as he pressed away the creases in his suit. It had been a week since the last time he'd spoken to Lily and today he inexplicably found himself standing in the Inn. He wasn't particularly certain whether he was going to speak to the fair maiden or perhaps even Mark but he_—_

"Got a bone ta pick with ya," abruptly snarled a low voice, pulling Will from his thoughts.

The blond glanced over his shoulder, meeting steel violet eyes. "Vaughn," he addressed the approaching figure formally, "Forgive me for saying this but surely there is another appropriate time to_—_"

"I don't like tha way you've been treating Sabrina lately," Vaughn hissed, stepping toward the noblemen in an aggressive manner with his fists clenched.

Will arched his eyebrows in surprise. Was this man really attempting to engage in a round of fisticuffs?


	11. o11: Annoyance

**Continuation of the previous chapter, Fight.**

o11. Annoyance

Will blinked in disbelief as the tall man continued to step toward him, visibly fuming.

"Listen here kid, I don't care if you've got beef with farmer boy but don't take it out on your cousin. She ain't got nothin' ta do with it."

The nobleman felt pure and utter annoyance stir within his stomach as Vaughn scolded and criticized him as if he was a mere child. He began to raise his hand in attempt to ease the situation, however, Vaughn took this motion as something more violent and sharply raised his own fist.

Without warning white dots gathered and spilled across Will's vision momentarily until an ache was left and lingered on the area below his right eye and cheek. He clasped a hand over his injury and groaned to himself as he heard the click of boots fade away into the distance.


	12. o12: Love

**This theme also correlates with Fight and Annoyance.**

o12. Love

"Will, is that you?" asked a quiet voice and the blond pulled himself up from the floor of the Inn, shamefully meeting Lily's gaze. His heart plummeted and he briefly wondered where her _other_ male blond companion was. She frowned at his current state, silently questioning what had occurred.

"Vaughn," was all he could offer and she simply nodded.

Despite the tension residing prominently in the air from not speaking to one another for days, he abruptly found her dabbing ointment on his black eye with a washcloth from her bag. He felt his cheeks flush as he noticed from this close proximity how long her eyelashes were as a fluttering feeling suddenly filled his stomach. He felt as if he just stepped into his family's hot air balloon and began soaring among the clouds.

He vaguely wondered why he always felt this breathless whenever Lily was around.


	13. o13: Please?

******Not to confuse anyone, I just to want to announce that this drabble/theme is not connected to the previously four! Some time has passed since the fight incident with Vaughn, although, it'll still definitely be mentioned in future drabbles. And once again, thank you for reading and reviewing! I appreciate it more than words could explain :)**

o13. Please?

Lily watched as pink adorned his cheeks while the rest of his face's skin paled. It was quite peculiar, she mused, how Will's facial expressions grew more animated while his voice would fluctuate and his words became more complex and out of her reaching of understand sometimes when he spoke to her.

"Your words are complicated," she informed him kindly. "Perhaps repeat them to me in a more clear manner?"

Will's complexion became even more ashen than before and he couldn't quite meet her gaze anymore but, under her polite request, he managed to say, "I give you my sincerest apologies, Lily. It is not my intent to confuse you. What I _mean_ to articulate is… Would my lady consider viewing the upcoming fireworks ensemble with me?" He paused momentarily, appearing as if he was struggling to breathe correctly before he added as an afterthought, "…please?"


End file.
